


Neal Caffrey, FBI Informant

by Treon



Series: Free as a Bird 'verse [7]
Category: White Collar
Genre: Alternate Universe, Episode Related, Gen, Trust Issues
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-11
Updated: 2015-09-11
Packaged: 2018-04-20 05:22:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,299
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4775231
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Treon/pseuds/Treon
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Neal's friends are concerned.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Neal Caffrey, FBI Informant

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the fan-flashworks 'Identity' challenge.
> 
> AU in which Neal never escaped from prison and never made a deal with the FBI.

  
"We've got a problem," Mozzie announced.  He had set up a meeting between Neal and Alex in order to plan their next heist.  It was a beautiful morning out on the waterfront and Mozzie was eager to get down to business.  But first, there was a small issue to get out of the way.  
  
"We do?" Neal asked. "What is it?"  
  
Mozzie cleared his throat.  "You."  
  
"Me?" Neal was surprised.  "In what way am I a problem?"  
  
Mozzie hesitated.  He and Alex exchanged a look, and Neal had the distinct impression that this was a planned ambush.  
  
"Oh, for Christ's sake," Alex spoke up after a few seconds ticked by in silence.  "Rumor is you're working for the Feds."  
  
"Well, I'm not."  
  
"Not good enough, Neal.  If we're going to work together, I need you to prove that you're not an FBI snitch."  
  
"Anything else while I'm at it?  Want me to prove I'm not a secret lizard man?"  
  
That caught Mozzie's attention.  "Are you?"  
  
"No!" Neal turned back to Alex. "How am I supposed to do that?"  
  
"I'm sure you'll figure it out."  
  
"You can't be serious. Why would I work for the FBI?"  
  
"You got them to arrest Keller," Mozzie pointed out.  
  
Neal didn't see the connection.  "That doesn't count."  
  
Mozzie shrugged.  
  
"Besides," Neal continued, "I wasn't working for them, I was using them."  
  
"Keller still ended up in jail."  
  
"Where he belongs," Neal retorted.  He knew Mozzie wasn't happy when he got near the FBI, but Mozzie of all people should have known that he wasn't an informant.  It was disappointing to realize that wasn't the case.  
  
"Look," Alex interrupted, "it doesn't matter.  You raise too many question marks.  You pull off these grandiose schemes and the FBI just lets you be."  
  
"Maybe I'm just this good."  
  
"Or maybe they look the other way because it's worth it for them."  
  
"So you want me to prove I'm not working for the Feds by getting caught?"  
  
Neither Alex nor Mozzie had any response to that.  
  
"Okay, look."  Neal fished out his phone and dialed a number.  
  
It was picked up after two rings. "Burke."  
  
"Hey, Peter!"  
  
"Neal."  
  
Neal didn't waste time with pleasantries. "Can we meet?"  
  
Peter blinked in surprise. It wasn't every day that a suspect called him up like this. "You want to meet?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Fine." Peter paused as he glanced through his schedule.  "Come to my office at 3pm."  
  
"No can do, Peter. There's a park down the block from you.  I'll be there in half an hour."  
  
"Wait-"  
  
But before Peter could say more than that, Neal disconnected the call.  He looked at Mozzie and Alex.  "You want proof? I'll give you proof."  
  
When Peter arrived at the park, Neal was already there, sitting on a bench and reading a paper.  He folded it up when he noticed Peter approaching. "Hey."  
  
Peter sat down and straightened his jacket as he looked around. "This better be important."  
  
Neal figured there was only one way to get Peter to admit he wasn't an FBI informant.  "I want to become an FBI informant."  
  
Peter lived up to expectations. He guffawed. "You're kidding."  
  
"Not really."  
  
"This isn't how this goes, Neal.  You don't just show up and say you want to be an informant."  
  
Neal had no experience in FBI informanting. "Really?  Why not?"  
  
Peter opened his mouth to answer, then thought better of it.  In all his dealing with the conman he had hoped he could get Neal to go straight or at the very least get him to help out the FBI.  And here he was doing exactly that.  If only Peter could believe a word of it.  "And what do you want in return?"  He looked Neal up and down.  The man's clothing alone probably cost a few thousand.  "I suppose you're not lacking for money."  
  
"I was thinking, you know, I help you, you help me."  
  
Peter laughed.  "In what?  You think I'm gonna help you commit crimes?"  
  
Neal smiled. "Come on, Peter.  I'm not a criminal anymore."  
  
"Yeah, how could I forget that." Peter shook his head.  "Let's make one thing clear.  You're not going to get a pass just for helping out the FBI."  
  
"Of course," Neal answered agreeably.  "I just want to see justice done."  
  
Peter considered the young man for a long, silent moment.  He stood up.  "Let's go."  
  
Neal hadn't seen this coming. "Go?"  
  
"You said you wanted to be an informant, right?"  
  
"Yes, but-"  
  
"Then you're going to start informing."  He walked off, not bothering to look and see whether Neal was following him.  
  
Neal hesitated, but then stood up and hurried after him.  
  
******  
  
Peter led the way into the FBI building, up to the 21st floor and into his office.  There he produced a book and passed it to Neal.  It was a Spanish version of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.  
  
"What is this?" Peter asked.  
  
"It's a book." Neal flipped through the pages.  It was a quite ordinary children's book, nothing special.  
  
"Yeah, I can see it's a book.  What can you do with it?"  
  
"Read it?"  
  
Peter leaned over and grabbed the book.  "That's not helpful."  
  
Neal pulled out one of the visitor's chairs and sat down.  "Okay... where did you get it?"  
  
"It was shipped here from Spain."  
  
"How big of a shipment?"  
  
"Altogether there were 600 of these.  With a personal courier."  
  
Neal frowned.  The book didn't look like it was worth it.  "Must be going for quite the score then."  
  
"We suspect it's part of a counterfeiting ring."  
  
"Counterfeiting what?"  
  
"I was hoping you could tell me."  
  
Neal held out his hand, and Peter handed him the book back.  Neal checked the cardboard cover carefully, then opened the book again, this time to the first page.  "Published in Madrid. 1944," he read out.  
  
"What could you do with an old book like that?"  
  
Neal considered the book.  People sometimes reused covers of old books and you could find expensive items hidden inside.  But that made sense for one book, not for a whole shipment of six hundred.  There was something about this publication.  Something...  He tapped the front page.  "This is what they're after."  
  
"The top sheet?"  
  
Neal nodded and passed the book back to Peter.  
  
The FBI agent's eyes lit up.  "They're gonna counterfeit something that was originally printed on paper like that."  
  
"That's what I would do." Peter looked up to glare at him.  "If... I was still in the business, that is."  
  
Peter put down the book with a satisfied smirk.  He leaned back in his chair.  "What is this really about?"  
  
"The book?"  
  
"This. You.  Why did you come to me?"  
  
"I told you.  I wanted to-"  
  
"Yeah, yeah.  I don't buy it."  
  
"You don't believe me?"  
  
Peter chuckled.  "I just don't see what you're getting from it."  
  
Neal just smiled mysteriously.  "Maybe I'm bored."  
  
Peter shook his head.  "You know, if you've had it with crime, you could become a paid consultant for the FBI."  
  
Neal blinked at the offer.  "I'll let you know."  
  
"Yeah." Peter somehow doubted he was ever going to hear back on that.  
  
******  
  
When Neal came back to the park, he found Mozzie and Alex waiting there for him.  He grinned at them. "Well?"  
  
"Well what?" Alex asked.  
  
"You were there.  You have your proof - I'm not an informant."  
  
"I saw you weren't an informant. Past tense.  The present is still a question mark."  
  
"Seriously?"  
  
"What's with the little tête-à-tête with the FBI agent?"  
  
Instead of answering, Neal turned to Mozzie.  "What could you do with a 1944 piece of Spanish paper?"  
  
Mozzie thought it over.  "Why?"  
  
"Well, I just had an interesting little tête-à-tête with an FBI agent..."   And if he was right, there was a killing to be made.


End file.
